I love peas. In summer I eat handfuls of frozen peas as a refreshing and crunchy snack, and in winter I regularly enjoy it in stews and soups. This side dish turns the ordinary pea into a fresh, zesty mouthful with a kick. Added bonus: it works hot or cold. Who's hungry? Vincent and I, … Continue reading Peas with Mint, Garlic & Chilli
I warned you -- there are going to be soups galore this winter. Buckle up, here's yet another scrumptious soup recipe. This hearty vegetable soup is a surefire crowd pleaser. It's filled with all-natural wholesome ingredients and has plenty of feel-good flavours to go around. Plus, it tastes even better the next day (as all … Continue reading Split Pea and Lentil Soup
It's almost winter in the southern hemisphere and you know what that means -- soup, soup and more delicious soup! This lentil soup has a little bite to it because of the addition of chilli flakes, cayenne pepper and Rajah's mild & spicy curry powder. If heat's not your thing at all, simply replace or … Continue reading Spicy Lentil Soup
If you're not South African, you're missing out on one of the simplest yet satisfying meals ever -- a boerewors roll. Also lovingly known as a boerie. There are proper boeries and budget boeries. A budget boerie consists of hotdog buns, boerewors, tomato sauce (ketchup) and maybe a squirt of mustard. A proper boerie has … Continue reading Tomato Smoor
Potatoes have been the stars of countless side dishes. This recipe is no different. Well, with the exception of the added sweet potatoes. Vincent and I had ostrich steak fillets on the fire, and cauliflower and broccoli florets steaming on the stove. I couldn't think of anything better to add to the plate than some … Continue reading Hasselback Potatoes
I've been eyeing various dusty cans of beans on my pantry shelf for weeks now. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to make a Mexican black bean dish, hearty veg soup, beef stew, or a spicy bean salad with it. This passed weekend I decided the best choice would be a vegetarian Cape Malay … Continue reading Black & Butter Bean Curry
I'm a huge fan of eggplants (brinjals, aubergines -- whatever you like to call them, they're awesome.) If you're not, this dish won't be any fun for you. I was in the mood for something spicy yet light so I dove into the wonderful world that is Jamie Oliver's website. Check it out here. I … Continue reading Vegetarian Rogan Josh
I wanted to make traditional braaibroodjies to accompany our braai last night, but realised a little too late that I didn't have any tomatoes. What I did have were leftover sliced mushrooms and Woolies' feta cheese with sundried-tomatoes and basil. Improvise, I did! The result was a new tasty braaibroodjie combo. Who's hungry? Vincent and … Continue reading Mushroom, Feta & Onion Braaibroodjies
Winter is soup time! Contrary to my big love of effortless cooking, I actually like making complicated soups. One of my all-time favourites is a deconstructed chilli popper soup, but that's a recipe for another day. Last night it was so cold that my kitchen felt like a walk-in freezer. So the less time I … Continue reading Chunky Vegetable Soup
I've been craving eggplant for some time now, but have also been wanting to experiment and try something new with this weirdly delicious vegetable. I googled for hours in search of an eggplant recipe that tickled my salivary glands. Eventually I found an interesting-looking eggplant wrap recipe and inspiration hit! Unlike most of my usual … Continue reading Eggplant Fold-overs
AKA Stuffed Butties I love stuffing things. Case in point: these deliciously stuffed-with-love butternuts. It's been a really gloomy, rainy day and I didn't even try to think about what we would eat for dinner tonight. Luckily we had a butternut in the pantry and a couple of leftover mushrooms, plus a bag of spinach … Continue reading Stuffed Butternut
I got a new kitchen toy this week and have been having fun with all sorts of vegetables. Of course, when I get a toy it's not just me who benefits from it. Vincent was the lucky recipient of my first ever go at making my own shallow fried potato chips. I think they turned … Continue reading Homemade Potato Chips
Vincent and I have been talking about eating less meat for a while now. Not that we eat scary amounts of meat every day, but it seems that something meaty always slips into one of our meals. We both love vegetables, so it's not hard for us to consciously eliminate meat from a meal every … Continue reading Sweet Potato & Spinach Frittata
I love a good skorsie! There are so many ways to turn an average gem squash into a real gem of a dish. Simply fill the hole with something delicious! When I was a little girl, my mom always made gem squash with peas inside and I loved it. I clearly still do. So, along … Continue reading Side Squash
Many Afrikaners will proudly declare that no braai is complete without a braaibroodjie. It's one of those things South Africans all put their own personal spin on. But for the sake of this age-old tradition, I'm showcasing good old fashioned, no frills attached braaibroodjies. Who's hungry? Vincent and my parents. So 4 braaibroodjies are in … Continue reading Braaibroodjies
Jana Cooks 